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History

Camp Willochra

Formerly known as The Diocesan Centre

Bishop Jones’ Vision

When Canon Thomas Edward Jones, the Organising Missioner of the Bush Church Aid Society was appointed to be the third Bishop of the Diocese of Willochra, in 1958, he came to a Diocese covering a vast area in the middle and north of South Australia. Only nine widely scattered parishes served the area:

Port Pirie

Port Augusta

Jamestown

Peterborough

Quorn

Orroroo

Crystal Brook

Melrose and

Gladstone

plus a station of the Mission to Seamen at Port Pirie. There was no cathedral at that time.
One of the first needs perceived by the new Bishop was that of a central rallying place. The Diocese was held together loosely by an annual Synod of clergy and laity, “The Willochran”- a quarterly publication and pastoral visits by the bishop. Bishop Jones envisaged the creation of a place where people from far-flung areas could stay awhile to take part in